Coin-operated electric switch



Nov, 26, 1935. RpR, ERBE COIN OPERATED ELECTRIC SWITCH Filed May 17, 1955 ATTORNEYJ Patented Nov. 26, 1935 conv-eramos!) ELECTRIC swrrcn Ralph R. Erbe, Fort Wayne, Ind.,assignor to yThe Capehart Corporation, Fort Wayne, Ind., a corporation Application May 17, 1935, Serial No. 21,924

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This invention relates to a coin-operated electric switch which is particularly useful for coinoperated phonographs but which maybe used in a large variety of other coin-operated machines.

In thecoin control of electric machines, it is common practice to provide a vertically mounted trigger which is ,struck by 4a falling coin and moved to complete an electric circuit. In switches of this type. it is necessary to make an accurate adjustment of the weight or inertia of the moving parts to give a positive movement when struck by a coin and at the same time prevent a bouncing movement thereof which gives a repeated closing of the circuit. Considerable diiliculty has been encountered with this type of switch in providing a proper adjustment between these two limits. In the usual application of these switches, a bouncing movement, resulting in a double make-and-break of the circuit, causes one coin to be counted as two. In a coin-controlled phonograph, this results in giving two selections for the price of one and corresponding results are produced with other types of coin-controlled apparatus.

The principal object of the present invention is to obviate the necessity for the fine adjustment heretofore necessary to prevent the double closing of the circuit., In the preferred form of the invention disclosed herein, this object is at- 30, tained by providing a latch member which locks the switch in closed circuit position as soon as it has been closed by the receipt of a coin. The

switch is maintained in'this position until the coin has passed an appreciable distance beyond the switch. Whereupon the coin strikes a second trigger which releases the latch and permits the switch to retum to open circuit position. By this means a double movement of the switch is prevented and one coin is never counted as two.

Other objects and .features of the invention will be readily understood from the accompanying drawing and the following description and claims:

J Fig. 1 is an elevational view of a coin chute having the invention applied thereto in a preferred form. Fig. 2 is a fragmentary elevational view of a part of Fig. 1 with the' parts shown in the latched position. Fig. 3 is a sectional view taken substantially on the line 3-3 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 4 is a sectional view taken on the line 4-4 f of F18. 1. A, In the drawing there is shown a coin chute I0 preferably formed of sheet metal shaped as best seen in Figs.l 3 and 4. The chute is provided with a hopper. Il at its upper end which may of any well known form.' A bar i2 secured to the back of the chute I0 has secured thereto a block I3 of insulation material upon which there is pivotally mounted, by means of a screw Id, a 5 movable contact member i5. A fixed contact member I6 in the form of a flexible finger is secured to the insulation block by means of a screw il and is connectedy by a conductor I8 to a terminal screw I9. The movable contact member 10 I5 is connected to a terminal screw 20 by means of a exible conductor 2l. A counterweight 22 is secured to the movable contact member I5 and serves to maintain said member in the position shown in Fig. 1. A trigger 23 of insulating ma- 15 terial is secured to the movable contact member i5 and projects into a slot 2t in the edge of the chute lo in position to be struck by a coin 25 descending through said chute. l

When so struck by a coin of sulcient weight 20 to overbalance the counterweight 22, the contact member I5 is tilted about its pivotal mounting and strikes the contact member I6 as shown in Fig. 2. A circuit is thus completed between the terminal screws I9 and 20 which will cause the 25 operation of any electrical device connected in circuit with these terminals. A Secured to the chute iii below the switch construction just described there is a bar 26 to which there is pivotally attached by means of a screw 21, 30 a latch lever 28. The upper end of the latch 1ever is provided with an inclined face 2s and a shoulder 30. The lever is positioned outside of the chute with its inclined face 29 in contact with vthe edge of the trigger 23 and is maintained in 35 contact therewith by a tension spring 3l secured to the lever and to an outwardly turned portion of the bar 28. When the trigger 23 is moved downwardly by a coin, it presses the lever 28 in a clockwise direction until it passes the shoulder 30, at 40 which time it is latched beneath the shoulder as shownin Fig. 2.l The movable contact member I5 is thus maintained inengagement with the contact member I6 and is prevented from erratic movements which would cause a repeated-contact. 45 The lever 28 is provided with an inturned linger 32 which projects within a notch 33 in the chute III. The descending coin, after passing the trigger 23, strikes the finger 32, moving the lever 2B lin a clockwise direction, releasing the trigger 23 50 and permitting the switch to return tothe open circuit position. A rivet 34 in the chute Ill opposite the notch 33 insures that the coin will strike the finger 32 at the proper angle to give sufficient movement thereto for release of the trigger.

The foregoing specification describes a preferred form of the invention but it is obvious that the details thereof may be varied by one skilled in the art without departing from the scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims.

The invention claimed is:

1. A coin-controlled switch including movable and stationary contact members, a trigger adapted to move the movable contact member into engagement with the stationary contact member when struck by a coin a latch securing said contact members in engagement thereafter, and coinoperated means operable thereafter for releasing said latch.

2. A coin-controlled switch including a stationary contact member, a movable contact member normally disengaged therefrom, a trigger adapted to move said movable contact member into env gagement with the stationary member when 3. A coin-controlled switch including contact members relatively movable between open and closed circuit positions, coin-operated means for moving the same to one of said positions. retaining means holding said members in said last-mentioned position thereafter. and means operated thereafter by the coin for releasing said retaining means to permit return of said contactmembers to the other of said positions.

4. Coin-controlled electrical apparatus including a chute through which a coinymay be dropped, a. trigger projecting into said chute in position to be struck by a coin, contact members relatively movable to open and closed circuit positions, said members being moved to one of said positions by 15 and operating to releasetsaid latch when struck by a coin.

- RALPH R. ERBE.

' into said chute at a point below said ilrst trigger zo 

